Justice Department Spied on Fox News Reporter

The Department of Justice is making journalists feel like Rockwell — somebody’s definitely watching them. We already know that the DOJ secretly seized phone records from Associated Press reporters and editors. Now The Washington Postreports that in 2009, the feds also spied on James Rosen — Fox News’ chief Washington correspondent.

According to court documents, the DOJ used Rosen’s Justice Department security badge to watch when he came and went from the State Department, acquired a search warrant for his personal emails, and monitored Rosen’s phone calls with a government advisor suspected of leaking intelligence.

After reviewing the information, the DOJ said that Rosen had broken the law “at the very least, either as an aider, abettor and/or co-conspirator.” But all Rosen did was what reporters do: Report.

Fortunately the First Amendment makes prosecuting Rosen impossible, but the fact that he was even accused of doing something wrong shows that the government is willing to strong-arm journalists and use scare tactics to keep them away. We’re fans of President Obama, but this is outrageous. Somebody’s watching alright, and it’s him giving the orders to do so.